Are Outsiders Immortal? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Are Outsiders Immortal? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Callista
08-25-05, 10:49 PM Simple question--Demons, Devils, Celestials, et cetera. Do they have a lifespan, or do they live forever?
^Graff_EpsilonIX
08-25-05, 10:53 PM Prolly, considering they live on planes with the gods. The only people who are mortal on the planes are probably the planars who don't have a plane to call home.
Khaldune
08-26-05, 12:02 AM keep in mind that on other planes that time can be slower or faster where 1 day on the plane can range from 1 min to 1 year in theory so to a mortal the life of a planar creature may seem like a long time but may actualy only be a life span of 100 years on there plane. This would come out to around 36000 years on the mortal plane. Which would seem immortal to almost anything besides like creatures. So the mortality question is whatever one makes of it.
DraconsNighthawk
08-26-05, 12:07 AM Its up to the DM. My world? Celestials Demons etc live a long time. Any outsider does. A looooooong time. Sucks to be half-celestial/half fiend cause you live along time too.
ShadowDragon8685
08-26-05, 12:14 AM They're immortal in the effect that they will not expire from age, but without true invincibility, probability dictates that they inevitably snuff it sometime.

Or that's my take, anyway.
Callista
08-26-05, 01:20 AM So how does that affect you if, say, you want to play an outsider; or if you have something like an imp or a lantern archon as a familiar?
ShadowDragon8685
08-26-05, 01:41 AM Bearing in mind the lifespan of the average adventurer, I'd say it dosen't pose any problem at all. :)

It also shoulden't effect familars.
Gauze Fireforge
08-26-05, 01:44 AM So how does that affect you if, say, you want to play an outsider; or if you have something like an imp or a lantern archon as a familiar?

There are a few important things to note with outsiders...

(3.5 MM, p313)

An outsider is at least partially composed of essence of some other plane than the prime material.

They get darkvision out to 60 feet.

Their soul and body are one unit (making raise dead and the like impossible)

Proficient with all simple and martial weapons

Outsiders breathe but do not eat or sleep.

Native outsiders vary in some of these as listed with the reference in the MM.

But to your question, how does it affect you or by having a familiar that is an outsider.

Essentially it doesn't not in the adventuring sense. Obviously if a character is an outsider type they get the benefits (and hinderances) listed above but with the familiar, you adventure for as long as you are alive or the familiar is with you, other than that, what does it matter?

im sorry if I am telling you things you already know or am missing the point but I struggle to see where the issue lies. You run a campaign based around the players, if and outsider doesn't age (as I rule in my game) and you obviously only really care about the things that revolve around them, dont worry about PC1 will never die of old age but PC2 will. THey will either die a horrible death adventuring or live to become legends based on their actions.
Leewei
08-26-05, 01:40 PM Since they aren't explicitly immune to aging effects and attacks, I'd say they are not immortal. Then again, I've no idea if undead or constructs have that listed out, either.
janusthinker
08-26-05, 02:56 PM Poking through some of the Forgotten Realms books, outsiders are explicitly immortal in terms of aging, needing food, etc, etc. There are many, many examples of "demons were trapped beneath this castle by a landslide; someone excavated it 3,000 years later, and they all jumped out immediately, ready to blaze a path of devastation across the land" in Toril.

How's this affect playing an outsider character, though? Their immortality could be said to make them value life more deeply and mourn the dead more strongly, since if they hadn't fallen in battle, they never would've fallen...but, on the flip side, in D&D, outsiders dying fighting one another is really rather common, so it seems to functionally balance out.

More flexibility is really all the immortality gives you, I'd say. You don't have to fear starving in a long trek across the desert, your character background may include having actually been there at ancient battles, etc, etc, etc. This may well deepen the value of a familiar, since their life's knowledge may begin to give you something like Bardic knowledge.
friedmad
08-26-05, 04:41 PM i would actually say that outsiders would have LESS of a reaction to someone dying, having lived amongst beings who dont die, they wouldnt know what to think about fallen comrades. kinda like Legolas in LOTR
Bruunwald
08-26-05, 06:43 PM What is that raging eternal war? The Blood War? Am I wrong, or did I read somewhere long ago that the slain combatants in that war return again the next day?

Of course, everybody remembers Valhalla where they feast, battle, then the "dead" rise to do it all again the next day.

But for some reason, I seem to remember that being the case with the demons and devils battling it out, as well? Now, if they are slain on the Prime Material Plane, they simply cease to exist. But if I'm right about the War, then obviously that is not the case on other planes of existence.

Or am I crazy?
ShadowDragon8685
08-26-05, 07:15 PM The Heroic Domains of Ysgard.

Great place. :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Callista 08-25-05, 10:49 PM	Simple question--Demons, Devils, Celestials, et cetera. Do they have a lifespan, or do they live forever?
^Graff_EpsilonIX 08-25-05, 10:53 PM	Prolly, considering they live on planes with the gods. The only people who are mortal on the planes are probably the planars who don't have a plane to call home.
Khaldune 08-26-05, 12:02 AM	keep in mind that on other planes that time can be slower or faster where 1 day on the plane can range from 1 min to 1 year in theory so to a mortal the life of a planar creature may seem like a long time but may actualy only be a life span of 100 years on there plane. This would come out to around 36000 years on the mortal plane. Which would seem immortal to almost anything besides like creatures. So the mortality question is whatever one makes of it.
DraconsNighthawk 08-26-05, 12:07 AM	Its up to the DM. My world? Celestials Demons etc live a long time. Any outsider does. A looooooong time. Sucks to be half-celestial/half fiend cause you live along time too.
ShadowDragon8685 08-26-05, 12:14 AM	They're immortal in the effect that they will not expire from age, but without true invincibility, probability dictates that they inevitably snuff it sometime. Or that's my take, anyway.
Callista 08-26-05, 01:20 AM	So how does that affect you if, say, you want to play an outsider; or if you have something like an imp or a lantern archon as a familiar?
ShadowDragon8685 08-26-05, 01:41 AM	Bearing in mind the lifespan of the average adventurer, I'd say it dosen't pose any problem at all. :) It also shoulden't effect familars.
Gauze Fireforge 08-26-05, 01:44 AM	So how does that affect you if, say, you want to play an outsider; or if you have something like an imp or a lantern archon as a familiar? There are a few important things to note with outsiders... (3.5 MM, p313) An outsider is at least partially composed of essence of some other plane than the prime material. They get darkvision out to 60 feet. Their soul and body are one unit (making raise dead and the like impossible) Proficient with all simple and martial weapons Outsiders breathe but do not eat or sleep. Native outsiders vary in some of these as listed with the reference in the MM. But to your question, how does it affect you or by having a familiar that is an outsider. Essentially it doesn't not in the adventuring sense. Obviously if a character is an outsider type they get the benefits (and hinderances) listed above but with the familiar, you adventure for as long as you are alive or the familiar is with you, other than that, what does it matter? im sorry if I am telling you things you already know or am missing the point but I struggle to see where the issue lies. You run a campaign based around the players, if and outsider doesn't age (as I rule in my game) and you obviously only really care about the things that revolve around them, dont worry about PC1 will never die of old age but PC2 will. THey will either die a horrible death adventuring or live to become legends based on their actions.
Leewei 08-26-05, 01:40 PM	Since they aren't explicitly immune to aging effects and attacks, I'd say they are not immortal. Then again, I've no idea if undead or constructs have that listed out, either.
janusthinker 08-26-05, 02:56 PM	Poking through some of the Forgotten Realms books, outsiders are explicitly immortal in terms of aging, needing food, etc, etc. There are many, many examples of "demons were trapped beneath this castle by a landslide; someone excavated it 3,000 years later, and they all jumped out immediately, ready to blaze a path of devastation across the land" in Toril. How's this affect playing an outsider character, though? Their immortality could be said to make them value life more deeply and mourn the dead more strongly, since if they hadn't fallen in battle, they never would've fallen...but, on the flip side, in D&D, outsiders dying fighting one another is really rather common, so it seems to functionally balance out. More flexibility is really all the immortality gives you, I'd say. You don't have to fear starving in a long trek across the desert, your character background may include having actually been there at ancient battles, etc, etc, etc. This may well deepen the value of a familiar, since their life's knowledge may begin to give you something like Bardic knowledge.
friedmad 08-26-05, 04:41 PM	i would actually say that outsiders would have LESS of a reaction to someone dying, having lived amongst beings who dont die, they wouldnt know what to think about fallen comrades. kinda like Legolas in LOTR
Bruunwald 08-26-05, 06:43 PM	What is that raging eternal war? The Blood War? Am I wrong, or did I read somewhere long ago that the slain combatants in that war return again the next day? Of course, everybody remembers Valhalla where they feast, battle, then the "dead" rise to do it all again the next day. But for some reason, I seem to remember that being the case with the demons and devils battling it out, as well? Now, if they are slain on the Prime Material Plane, they simply cease to exist. But if I'm right about the War, then obviously that is not the case on other planes of existence. Or am I crazy?
ShadowDragon8685 08-26-05, 07:15 PM	The Heroic Domains of Ysgard. Great place. :)